California redistricting plan finalized

A California redistricting panel moved one step closer Friday to dramatically transforming the state’s congressional landscape, approving a final draft map that is likely to result in widespread turnover.

The plan, designed by the bipartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission, demolishes a meticulously gerrymandered, incumbent-oriented map while jeopardizing the careers of long-serving lawmakers who are Capitol Hill staples.

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The map is not yet complete. The commission has two weeks to hear public comments before conducting a final vote. If at least six of the members reject the plan, the line-drawing will be handed off to the California Supreme Court.

The latest version of the map has been altered from the June draft, reconfiguring several of the Southern California districts to address concerns from the Latino community, whose leaders argued that the initial plan did not sufficiently reflect the state’s explosion in Hispanic population.

But the new blueprint hasn’t satisfied all Latino leaders. In a statement, Arturo Vargas, the executive director for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, said: “We believe the Commission did not completely embrace this unprecedented opportunity to ensure that the state’s growing Latino population can achieve full and fair representation in California’s democracy.”

The newest blueprint appears likely to result in pain for Republicans, who could see a two- to three-seat loss in the state. The most imperiled Republicans include veterans like House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, who is drawn into a Democratic-oriented Southern California seat and who is left with few good options; and Rep. Elton Gallegly, who is placed into the same seat as powerful House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon.

In some cases, Republicans who had previously skated to reelection will find their districts newly competitive. GOP Rep. Dan Lungren, who’s facing a rematch against Democratic physician Ami Bera, is placed in a Democratic-leaning, Sacramento-based seat. GOP Rep. Jeff Denham, a Central Valley-based freshman who had only marginal Democratic competition last year, is likely to run in a Democratic-leaning Stanislaus-based seat.

Some Democrats will also be endangered. Democratic Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman, longtime rivals, are drawn into the same San Fernando Valley district, setting up a prospective incumbent vs. incumbent showdown. Democratic Rep. Lois Capps, who has had little serious GOP competition in her seven-term career, is placed into a Santa Barbara district that is only slightly Democratic-leaning.

Berman, a powerful former Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, appeared to be moving closer to a race against Sherman Friday, saying that he had no plans to run in another seat.

“My dedication to serving my community in Congress is unwavering,” he said in a statement after the release of the final map. “I look forward to formally launching a campaign when the maps are final.”

Capps, who has drawn a challenge from former GOP Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, released a statement Friday afternoon confirming that she will run for the seat and declaring she plans to “run a strong, positive grassroots campaign that focuses on the issues.”

The map also throws the career of the state’s newest member, Democratic Rep. Janice Hahn, into peril. Hahn, who won a July special election for a Venice-area seat, is drawn into a seat with a significant black population, and could be vulnerable to a primary from a black challenger.

The commission, which began meeting this spring and produced its first draft map in June, marks a sharp departure from the incumbent-oriented approach that defined the previous rounds of line-drawing. A decade ago, Howard Berman’s brother, Democratic consultant Michael Berman, was instrumental in crafting a map that offered almost unparalleled security for the state’s incumbents. Since 2000, just one seat in the delegation has switched party control.

In tossing aside the old map, the commission has opened the door for dozens of up and coming pols across the state to unleash pent-up political ambitions and launch campaigns for seats. The list of congressional wannabes includes figures ranging from Republican Ricky Gill, a 24-year-old University of California at Berkeley law student who is running against Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney to state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, a prominent Southern California Democrat who is running for a Long Beach-based seat.

The last election produced some great results, this one being the new way the state is doing the redistricting. It appears to be the beginning of "fairness" finally. Into the hands of the people, not the judges or politicians.

This is only the battle. The war is far from over! Obviously, Jerry Brown is no friend to these incumbant Republicans. Everyone knew that! Providing fair representation is a cause that is both noble and appropriate. The question becomes, "who is ready to assimulate?" We cannot be a nation of Anglos, Asians and Latinos. This is about America.

This redistricting commission was a Hail Mary pass for Republicans who see their numbers inevitably failing below the 1/3 minimum needed to veto the Democrat's budgets and tax plans.

I think it failed.

Chris Ward,NRCC Treasurer, embezzled nearly a million dollars from 2001-2007, the largest and longest-running political embezzlement scheme ever uncovered.

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Learn your facts. CA passed a constuitional amendment that calls for simple majority and instead of 2/3s. The reality is that CA will shift so hard to the left that will eventually go right. Look at what SF is doing- banning circumcision, making felons a protected class, free college tuition for illegals, etc. Now with all the white liberals seeing their power in jeopardy, they will have no other option but to become conservatives. This will backfire.

Good god, get Dan Lungren out of CD3 then out of Caifornia. A sadly typical "once-decent" Republican who has swallowed the h8 and insanity of teapartiers. What a huge change in a man in such a short period of time. We long for Dr. Ami Bera, a great gentleman and will make a balanced lawmaker.

Next, we get carpet-bagger McClintock out of CD4. Uber conservative and disregards anything left of extreme right opinion. His residency is questionable and reminds us of Romney staying in his son's unfinished basement (or so the multi-millionaire claims he did) so that he can use Mass. as his address.

This is such good news. Hopefully, it will temper the influence of the "No New Taxes Ever" legislators who have caused repeated budget crises and seriously damaged the state's bond rating and the citizenry's quality of life.

Wow! The liberal idiots of CA never fail to amaze me. More Democrats-Just what this Country and State do NOT need. California is circling the economic toilet as is the Country. The Democrats/Liberals are the root cause. I cannot wait for the CA BK. It is coming. But no bailout will be coming. In 2012 we will take the Senate and the Presidency-CA will be a State of Liberal Dems left out in the cold. Man, it will get ugly. Really ugly. Everyone wave bye bye to the vans carrying companies to Texas and Utah by the way...and the jobs they USED to provide!

oh my God, we have so few Repubs and so many horrible Demons in Calif, and Repubs are losing seats? The state is going to hell under these crooks and Governor Moon- beaem (idiot) has just signed a bill that they must teach about the Homos in school. They can't read or write but they must know about Johny having two mammies or pappies. When is this all going to stop? send a giant earth -quake our way dear God it would be a kind thing!

get off the sofa and find a job, welfare is coming to an end and soon. I guess you have not heard yet, we are broke just like the country. Idiot libs have made it so bad for business, they are leaving the state. They pay for welfare not the government. The government is handing it out to you lazy slob, but if everyone stops paying there is nothing to give to you.

Susanne.....How dare you ask for an earthquake to befall us here in CA. You, ma'am sound like an excuse for a human being on many different levels. Let's see, you named so many in just two paragraphs (2 posts) and on so many of them you are so ill-informed. I am a native and proud as hell. My parents immigrated to CA from Switzerland and am sooooooooo grateful and thankful. Pardon me, but if you can't stand the heat then get out of the state! The rest of us would be thankful!